Development of the synthesis and applications of xylonic acid: A mini-review

Biorefining is a beneficial method for achieving the high-value utilization of biomass-derived feedstocks to generate biofuels or chemicals. The implementation of this strategy can generate alternatives for petrochemical based materials, which is significant for the sustainable development of a society. Xylonic acid, one of the most essential chemicals produced by biorefining from xylose, is widely employed in construction, medicine, chemical industry and food. Recently, a new application was found for xylonic acid, thus increasing its market prospects by increasing its demand. The current methods for producing xylonic acid include chemical and biological methods. The separation of xylose from xylan hemicellulose is one of the key procedures for xylonic acid production. In the review, recent reports on the production of xylose by hydrothermal-assisted degradation of xylan hemicellulose and recent developments in the synthesis and the application of xylonic acid were introduced, and an outlook of its application was proposed.